Heavy rain, cooler temperatures slow domestic air-conditioner sales in May

China's household air conditioner production totaled 18.74 million units in May, down 10% on year, while combined sales at home and abroad reached 19.58 million units, lower by a larger 11.1% on year, according to the latest report from ChinaIOL.com, a domestic information provider tracking China’s home appliance and refrigeration industries.

Within the total, domestic sales last month slumped 15% on year to 12 million units, while exports reached 7.58 million units, falling 4.2% from May 2025. The steep on-year decline in domestic air-conditioner sales was partly caused by the high on-year comparison base, given that in May last year, sales